Provincial Council

Taranaki Herald, Volume II, Issue 84, 8 March 1854, Page 2

Provincial Council

Saturday, March 4. The Council met this morning at 1 1 am. The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed The Provincial Treasurer laid on the table the following despatches from the Colonial Secretary to his Honor the Superintendent — I.— Diipnich from the Colonial Secretary to his Honor the Superintendent on tho anoject of the reservine the Town lands and licit , declining to interfere in consideration of the approaching meeting of the General Amenably which it was expected would give to the Provincial Governments the management of the Waste Lands. 2. — From diipatch relating to tho scab ordinance recommending; an alteration in the 6th clause — also the choice by the Superintendent and Commissioner of a Quaranteen ground. 3.— Same to Samo withholding the asaont of Ilia Eioclloncy from "An Ordinance) to authorise tho ncqunition of land required for tho construction of Roads." 4.— Dispnlch on tho Municipal Police bill, which concludci," His Ksecllcnryis not awaro thnt there in any thing in the New Zealand Constitution Act, to picvent tho Provincial Council from .imposing pcnaltiei to be recoverable in a nummary way, , for the offences »et forth in the Municipal Bill ordinunce accompanying your letter. His Excellency considers therefore that there are no luflleient grounds to call for the exercise of the power ot d isallowance vested in him with rcspoct to this ordinance." 5- — Diipatch having reference to n mm of money dotuined by the lute eub-Trensurcr. (i. — Diipatch, enclosing Harbour Regulations for the Province of Auckland, and suggesting a roriaion so as to suit them to tho Ports of the province. 7. —Dispatch, conveying his Excellency'! disnlowanco of "an Ordinance to authorise the raising of » loan for the purchase of Native Lands, within the province of New Plymouth," and stating tlmt any advances to the province of New Plymouth far the purahase of land from the Natives which may npprar udvtjable on receiving the report of Mr. Commissioner McLcnn, on the subject, will be mndo from funds available for that purpose. His Honor the Speaker called on Mr. Chilman to communicate to the Council the proposal of His Honor the Superintendent in reference to the new lines of road mentioned in the Gazette of the 25th ultimo. The Provincial Treasurer laid on the table a map of the districts, and moved that the Council take into consideration the road No. 1, mentioned in the said Gazette. Mr. Bi.asciike seconded, and the motion was carried. Mr. Elliott presented a Petition from Mr. Tuffin, complaining of the injury which he should be subjected to by carrying out the proposed road, and suggesting an alteration in the line in some part, which, without compromising its usefulness, would involve less inconvenience to him, and a smaller amount of compensation. Mr. Burton suggested that these questions should be postponed t until Ihe Road Bill, for the present disapproved of, shall be passed, so that the Council might award compensation. At present the Council was powerless to enforce the road. Mr. BLAsciiiCE and Mr. Parris agreed with Mr. Burton. The Provincial Treasurer said the Roads bill did not affoct this question, there being a reserved right of road ov«r all the land through which the line ran — and concluded by moving that the Council do go into committee on the subject, which was carried unanimously. Mr. Burton was appointed chairman. Mr. Watt thought that the Council should be acquainted with the intentions of his^ionor the Superintendent in relation to the Roads bill, and moved the postponement of the consideration of the question until next Saturday. Mr. Paruis seconded the motion. The Provincial Treasurer thought that the temporary suspension of the Roads bill was no good reason for delay. Mr. Watt reminded the Provincial Treasurer that the bill had erected a jurisdiction for ascertaining the amount of compensation. The Provincial Treasurer said the Council had power without the bill, and he would move as an amendment, that the Council do now consider the proposition relating to the road in question.

Mr. Cutfiblb seconded the motion. Mr. Watt insisted on his objection, and read the section of the new Constitution Act, which requires that all money bills shall originate with the Superintendent. Mr, Blaschke thought the recent purchasers of land had strong claims to immediate attention. The amendment was put and negatived, and the postponement carried unanimously. The consideration of all the lines of road was then ngreed to be postponed pending the ascertaining of his Honer's intentions, respecting the Koad3 bill. Mr. Pakris gave notice that ho should at the next, or next subsequent meeting of the Council, introduce and move the first reading of an Impounding and Cattle Trespass Oidinance. The Provincial Treasurer stated that his Honor was not prepared to move in thematter of the appropriation of the Immigration fund pending the liability of the Provincial Treasury to the Land office, undestalcen recently in relation to the purchasing of land. The Provincial Treasurer then moved that the Council do now go into Commiton the Despatcli of the Colonial Secretary on the Roads bill — which motion was seconded by Mr. Cutfield, but on a division the number of votes being equal, the motion was lost by the Speaker's vote. Mr. CuTriEtD moved a committee to consider the Colonial Secretary's despatch, conveying his Excellency's disallowance of the Ordinance for raising a loan for the purchase of land from the natives. A vote of the Council having moved Mr. Vickers to the chair, Mr. Cutfield stated that he wished to inquire of the Provincial Treasurer how, as the bill had been disallowed, the money had been found for the recent purchase, and which he understood had been paid to the natives a day or two back. The Provincial Treasurer said that the money had been advanced under pressure of the immediate necessity— £l,l SO from the Provincial Treasury, by the Crown Lands Commissioner, £800 from the SubTreasurer, and £250 from Mr. Commissioner McLean, in all £3,400. The natives had been paid this money for the purchase of the Hua block estimated to consist of about 15,000 acres. Mr. Burton enquired how the money was to be refunded to the Provincial Trea1 sury. I The Provincial Treasurer pstated that £1,000 had been already paid back. The natives having left so much of the amount : as deposit for purchases on their part of land under the new regulations. It was part of the bargain that they might withdraw this money, or take pre-emption of choice out of the lands purchased at 10s. per acre. A conversation here occurred as to the propriety of such a condition, and the gene* ral impression seemed to be that the scheme struck out for avoiding the ordinary reserves made on such occasions was veiy advantageous. The subject of a fund for the purchase of land was again mentioned with the disallowance of the Debenture Bill. Mr. Watt said that some provision should be immediately made, so that a fund might be at hand, available at any moment for closing negociations foreland with the ' natives. It was idle to. accept the new tiew given in the despatch of the Colonial Secretary. Dealings with the natives admitted of no delay ; and concluded by moving that the Council do adjourn till Tuesday next at 12 o'clock, with the understanding that some measure to accomplish this end should then be taken into consideration. The Council accordingly adjourned till 12 o'clock on Tuesday n,ext.

Tuesday, March 7. ' The Council met at 12 o'clock to day.

The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The Provincial Treasurer explained the Superintendent's intentions in relation to the Road bill and the Scab bill. The forrrier ho considered lost, as he was not prepared to suggest the substitution of any mode of determining compensation for that stated in tho bill to which objection had been made. The Scab bill would be sent down with the alteration suggested by the Colonial Secretary's despatch. The standing orders were suspended to enable the Council to pass a bill to facilitate the acquisition of Native lands within the Province of New Plymouth. This bill was'intended to replace the debenture bill recently disallowed. We havo not space to enter on the debate which ensued on the despatches : suffice it that the utmost unanimity prevailed and the .bill was paused befote the Council adjourned.